Trump holds call with Netanyahu over state of Iran war: Report

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump held a call with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu over when and whether to ramp up combat operations against Iran, US media reported on Nov 1.Axios quoted one US and one Israeli official saying the two leaders on Oct 31 discussed the state of negotiations with the Islamic republic, with Netanyahu pressing the president to launch strikes on Iran immediately after the US midterm elections and Trump eager to let negotiations play out.The Israeli source described the call as “tough”, while the American source said it was “direct,” according to Axios.Throughout the eight-month war, Trump has pursued dual tracks with Tehran: a campaign of air strikes and other attacks, while seeking to reach a deal that would jumpstart peace talks and fully open the Strait of Hormuz to vital oil and gas traffic.On Oct 31, the president maintained to reporters that negotiations with Iran to end the war were “going fine”, and that there were still one or two targets to “take care” of.He stressed too that Washington was not in a hurry to take offensive action because it had already decimated Iran’s military and its nuclear program.The Trump-Netanyahu talks followed the disclosure on Oct 31 by Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei that he had received a letter from US Vice-President JD Vance seeking to revive stalled talks.In another sign that mediators are keen to resume negotiations, a Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Oct 30 for talks with Iranian officials, state media reported.Trump has faced immense political pressure over the Middle East war, with US midterm voters furious over rising gas prices and other cost-of-living hikes – and they could potentially vent that anger at the ballot box. AFP